Young defensive ends shine for Raiders

NAPA, Calif. 
The Oakland Raiders hope what they lost in experience at defensive end can be made up for in energetic performance.

The Raiders have gone from a pair of grizzled veterans at end a year ago in Richard Seymour and Greg Ellis to rookie Lamarr Houston and second-year player Matt Shaughnessy.

The two young bucks were among the stars in last week's exhibition opener against Dallas. They each recorded two sacks against the Cowboys as Oakland's defensive line generated heavy pressure on the Dallas quarterbacks all game long.

That's the kind of play the Raiders are hoping from their front four as they hope to improve a defense that struggled for much of last season.

"They're doing what they're coached to do, and they're getting some opportunity in that game to make plays," coach Tom Cable said. "That's the best part: When the opportunity was there, they seized it."

The Raiders played most of last year with Seymour and Ellis as their starters on the defensive line. The two stalwarts have combined for 290 career starts in the NFL and 127 sacks.

But with Ellis let go in the offseason and Seymour shifted inside to defensive tackle, the two youngsters are making the most of their chance with the first-team defense.

Shaughnessy was one of the bright spots from last year's draft class that was widely criticized because of the poor performance by first-round pick Darrius Heyward-Bey.

But Shaughnessy showed signs of his potential with four sacks as he got more playing time late in the season because Ellis' was slowed by knee trouble.

"It helped out a lot because it gave me experience so it wasn't like I was coming into something brand new," he said. "I sort of knew what to expect."

Shaughnessy spent most of the offseason at first-team end while Seymour was waiting to sign his franchise tag tender and remained there when training camp started as Seymour moved inside to help bolster the run defense.

Cable said despite the sacks, Shaughnessy and Houston had things they needed to improve on from the opener against the run. The Raiders ranked 29th against the run last season and have allowed the most yards rushing and most touchdowns on the ground in the NFL the past seven seasons.

"The run defense is always an emphasis because you have to stop the run to pass rush," Shaughnessy said. "If you can't stop the run you won't have a chance to get sacks."

The Raiders spent their first two draft picks on front-seven players they hope can be strong against the run in middle linebacker Rolando McClain and Houston.

Houston stepped right into a starting role and has impressed his coaches with his feistiness and nonstop energy. What he may be lacking in experience he tries to make up for by relying on the veterans on the line.

"I ask Richard Seymour everything I can ask," Houston said. "He's been in the league for a long time and he has so many Super Bowl rings. Anything I can ask, I ask him during meetings and after meetings and sometimes just sit down with him and ask him about techniques and stuff."

Notes: McClain and K Sebastian Janikowski missed practice again for personal issues and are expected to rejoin the team Sunday night. ... Rookie WR Jacoby Ford (quadriceps) and RB Luke Lawton (concussion) returned to practice Sunday. ... RB Darren McFadden (hamstring), DE Jay Richardson (knee), LB Sam Williams (concussion), QB Charlie Frye (wrist), WR Paul Hubbard (hamstring), K Swayze Waters (bruised calf), and TE Tony Stewart did not practice. Hubbard and Frye are questionable for this week, while McFadden is making progress and Cable hopes to have him back soon.